Of Ice Cream and Chocolate Bars
by urbanpriestess
Summary: The Salvatore Brothers play the empathetic ears to Caroline's late night troubles, in the cafeteria, over ice cream and chocolate bars. AU. Refreshing Damon, Stefan, and Caroline based fluff.


Empathetic Ear to Troubles

Summary Details: This story is an AU at an academy that only have robots to cook, clean, and teach. And the principal is a fucked up little man, who makes it his life's mission to make everybody at the academy miserable. All characters are present and none are dead and they all get along, somehow, and they are all humans. Damon is best friends with his brother, Stefan and Original, Kol, of all people.

Author's Notes: Just a fluffy drabble to get the brain juice flowing and to help mend those broken hearts after Thurday night's episode (5/8/14).

Damon and Stefan takes much pleasure in ruthlessly teasing Caroline. Mentions of Klaroline and slight Petrova bashing. OOC: Shy!Caroline, CheekyNonBroody!Stefan and FoulMouthed!Damon. And that's all ya need to know. Enjoy!

It seemed like a good at the moment, seeking refuge in the cafeteria, everyone had retired to their dorms, and no one was wandering the academy grounds.

But then again, this was Mystic Falls Academy. Anything could happen. Just because Caroline thought the cafeteria was the perfect place to find solace, doesn't mean the school would not scheme against her.

Which is exactly what it did.

It was just another night of regressing self-esteem and self-loathing after she spent the day in the company the Petrova Twins (Katherine & Tatia). Their casual blabs about getting numerous invites to dates and the whole male population at school shamelessly flirting all added to making the petite blonde feel unimportant in comparison.

The Petrovas were fierce lioness, especially Tatia, and Caroline felt like a meek field mouse in comparison.

How would Klaus ever notice her if she couldn't even gather up the courage to greet him? How could he ever take her seriously when she couldn't even look at him without blushing uncontrollably?

Depressed, Caroline ended up wrapped up in a blanket, alone in the middle of the dimly-lit cafeteria. She was sitting in the middle of the cafeteria holding a book about medicinal herbs. Caroline had stopped reading half an hour ago, stopping at 'Herbs for Diarrhea', resting her chin on the open book and staring wistfully at the vending machine filled with chocolates.

She didn't even have any money to spend to eat away her feelings.

Letting out a soft sigh, Caroline closed her eyes, on the verge of losing consciousness when the abrupt, blaring sound of shattered glass and hushed whispers woke her up.

"Seriously? Cotton candy? How girly can you get?" came the faint voice.

"Shut your cake hole, asshat. You're just jealous I got the last cotton candy carton." replied the equally faint voice.

Caroline bolted upright, staring wide-eyed at the location of the whispers, suddenly nervous as the lights flipped on, making the cafeteria immensely bright. Footsteps crunched loudly on broken glass, followed by a harsh "Shit!" and a snort, a door slammed, and then two silhouettes appeared outside the kitchen.

A bit alarmed, Caroline wondered if she should call out or keep quiet. Against her better judgement she stammered out softly,

"W-who's there?"

The second silhouette jumped a little, but the first silhouette raised its head at the faint sound of her voice, then the two silhouettes took a step toward the vending machine.

Both silhouettes spoke out at the same time.

"Blondie?"

"Barbie?"

Caroline felt the blood rush to her face when she saw the Salvatore Brothers, Stefan and Damon standing ahead. Stefan's expression featured a blank look of surprise, he was wearing gray sweatpants and a navy blue muscle tee, one hand holding a carton of ice cream and the other in his pocket. Damon had an expression mirroring his brother's, wearing nothing but drawstring pajama pants and was also holding a carton of ice cream.

"...oh," Caroline said softly. "I-I mean good evening, Stefan and Damon."

Damon blinked and glanced around, as if checking to see if Caroline was with anybody, seeing that she wasn't, he dragged his brother toward the table, nonchalantly swinging a bat by his side.

"Hiya Barbie!" Stefan greeted with his fond nickname for Caroline.

"Sup Blondie? What the hell are you doing here alone?" Damon asked curiously.

"Oh, I .. was just reading," she replied timidly looking up at both brothers.

"In the dark?" Damon asked dubiously. "Shit, you and your fucking night vision."

Caroline laughed softly, wincing as it sounded fake and forced to her, then lowered her eyes to the book now resting on her lap. A moment later, she almost jumped when both brothers dropped their carton of ice cream on the table, and joined Caroline for a seat opposite of her, resting their baseball bat against the table.

Internally, she was grateful the brother's gaze wasn't on her, glancing briefly at Damon's abs and Stefan's biceps and feeling somewhat embarrassed as a blush blazed her cheeks.

"Um… did you break something back there, Damon?" Caroline asked in a fleeting effort to distract herself from her own embarrassment.

"Hm?" Damon asked distractedly, as he was trying to pry the lid of the carton of ice cream.

"The robots lock up the place after nine, and the shithead principal keeps the key to the kitchen locked up tight, so we had to break the window," Stefan said, replying for Damon, smiling like breaking windows in the middle of the night was the most normal thing to do

"Wow," Caroline said blankly, stealing a quick glance at the bat. "...just for ice cream?"

"Hey! We have a sweet tooth, okay?"

Caroline nodded rapidly at Damon's defensive tone, surprised that they didn't take advantage of her being alone to impose some merciless teasing. She wasn't attracted to punishments and said nothing to provoke them, content with staring at her book and pretending to read while both brothers indulged themselves in the -cotton candy and strawberry, she noted with amusement- ice cream.

"Want any?" Stefan asked, offering his spoon to Caroline.

Caroline shook her head, then glanced dolefully at the vending machine.

"No, it's fine, thank you….But I wish I could have some chocolate."

Damon stopped eating to look up from his carton and glance between Caroline and the vending machine.

"Which one?" Stefan asked.

"The one with the caramel filling..." Caroline said dreamily, not really aware that she was answering.

Before Stefan could respond, Damon had set down his spoon, and a second later, Caroline bit back a shriek of surprise, while, Stefan was just registering what was going on, as flying small shards of glass flew everywhere, shattering the silence. Damon walked back to the table carefreely, dropped the bat at his side, and picking up his spoon again.

"Knock yourself out, Blondie."

"Oh thank you, D-Damon," Caroline stuttered awkwardly, as she slid off the bench to pick a chocolate bar from the machine, then sitting back down.

"Why did you get to break two things tonight? It was my turn." Stefan said with a pout.

"Ah, next time, brother, next time." Damon replied flashing Stefan a cheeky smile.

Stefan only rolled his eyes in response.

Then they just sat there and ate in silence for a while. Caroline relaxed as she indulged in the sweet taste of chocolate. She almost forgot she was at the cafeteria. Almost.

"So what are you really doing here?"

Caroline glanced up from her lap to meet the questioning gaze of Damon.

"I was just reading.."

"Seriously, Blondie, you are such a bullshit liar. Why the hell would you come down here just to read about-" Damon paused as Stefan plucked Caroline's book of the table and glancing at a page.

"She's reading about ginkgo biloba.. what the hell?" Stefan said eyebrows wrinkling in confusion.

"-ginkgo biloba? 'seriously, the fuck..."

Stefan laughed as Damon continued to mutter about "shitty books" and "shittier liars".

Caroline bit her lip, nodding nervously.

"What about you guys?"

"What about us?" Damon asked.

"Why are you guys….just sitting here with me?"

"We're just bored."

"Oh…"

"Want us to fuck off?"

Stefan began to stand up reaching for the baseball bat and ice cream carton. Caroline rapidly shook her head, blushing, embarrassed, despite Damon's carefree tone.

"No, it's not that. I was just wondering why. I'm not that interesting, so yeah…" she mumbled.

"Honestly, Care, what are you even talking about? You have got to be more intelligent than at least half the population at this school, which makes you all the more interesting to talk to. Plus you can take a joke!" Stefan reassured with a cheeky smile.

"Yeah! What the hell are you talking about? It's a fucking mess screwing with your head." Damon said agreeing with his brother.

Caroline flinched slightly at his lack of concern for her health when he would ruthlessly tease her.

"But..you aren't doing that now." Caroline said timidly.

Damon dropped his spoon into his half-empty carton and slid it aside, resting his elbows on the table, he glanced over at Caroline with a raised eyebrow.

"That's 'cuz you look like you just missed out on a Black Friday Sale or something. Seriously, what's got your panties in such a twist?"

A bit taken aback by Damon's choice of words, Caroline looked away, catching a glimpse of Stefan's smirk aimed at her.

She could hardly discuss the topic of Klaus in front of Elena and Bonnie, her closest friends. The idea of broadcasting her boy issues to men, let alone men who teased her on a daily basis was inexplicable. Especially when the men are the Salvatore Brothers, who probably knew next to nothing about maintaining a healthy relationship.

"It's..nothing. It wouldn't interest you, really, Damon."

"How about you stop assuming shit about me," Damon said flatly. "Here I am trying to get you to talk to me, and you're just spouting bullshit."

Stefan straightened up, ears perking up eagerly, and leaned in like Caroline was going to confess murder.

"I'm sorry." she said, genuinely surprised and annoyed. "I just feel a bit… embarrassed."

At once both brother's eager expressions was replaced by one of pure horror.

"Look what you got us into!" Stefan hissed.

"Oh God, Stefan, you're right! You're not talking about some girly problem-"

"No!" Caroline cut in mortified, finally understanding the conversation. "It's not that… This is very awkward...but..well."

"It's okay, Care! We got all night!" Stefan said and added a smile to make Caroline feel more comfortable, although Caroline felt the opposite.

"For fuck's sake, just spit it out already," Damon said agitated.

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut.

"Well….I have this friend..and she…"

Caroline paused for a second, clenching her jaws, before blurting out the rest.

"Really likes a guy, but she's too shy to tell him because she's afraid of what he will think of her."

Almost instantly, Caroline felt lighter, slightly embarrassed and humiliated, but still lighter, as if a burden on her shoulders have been lifted. Stefan and Damon fixated their gaze under the squirming girl.

"Sounds a lot like you, Blondie." Damon said with an expression of recognition etched onto his face.

"Who's the lucky guy, Caroline?" Stefan asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Caroline felt the growing pit in her stomach begin to swallow her whole, she continued to look down on the floor, too embarrassed to face the brother's stares.

Damon chewed thoughtfully on a piece of Caroline's unfinished chocolate bar. Slightly terrified with the subject, but still thoughtful.

"What? Is he like a fucking psycho or something? Afraid he might hurt you? We can handle him, if you want."

"No!" Caroline squeaked horrified. "Klaus would never-"

Blood rocketed to Caroline's face, as she suddenly stopped in her tracks, not only had she blurted she was the one with self-esteem and boy problems, but his name also. Nervously chewing her lip, Caroline braced herself for the the onslaught of merciless teasing, wishing for the ground to open and swallow her whole.

"Klaus...shit...why does that sound so familiar? Stefan, do you know that is?"

"Yeah, he tried to put me on a red meat diet once..."

Momentarily overcoming her embarrassment with surprise, Caroline looked up briefly from her lap to gaze over at the still clueless Damon.

"Oh wait! He's Kol's older brother! Kol gave us the bats!" Stefan supplied again, gesturing at the bats resting at Damon's feet.

"Oh yeah!" Damon exclaimed. "Kol's older brother, Klaus! Kols always saying Klaus acts like he has a stick up his "arse"!"

Caroline gaped at him.

"So yeah, I've heard of him. You like him, Blondie?" He said offhandedly, taking no notice of Caroline's stunned expression or Stefan's chuckle.

Slowly, Damon began to smirk.

"How fucking cute."

Caroline was pretty sure her face was practically glowing now. She let out squeak of dismay, and it took every ounce of control to not bolt out the cafeteria.

Elena, her own best friend, didn't even know about her crush. Bonnie didn't know. Nobody knew.

But now Stefan and Damon Salvatore knew. They knew.

Oh god.

"Okay, I'll admit we don't know shit about that sorta thing," Damon drawled. "But seriously, what's the big deal?"

Caroline paused for a minute, and when she spoke again her voice was barely audible.

"It's sorta difficult."

"How hard can it be?" Stefan said skeptically.

"Seriously, you're making it sound like it'll fucking kill you or something." Damon snorted.

"...It...might."

"Wow. That serious, Care?" Stefan asked curiously, not used to the topics of crushes and getting nervous.

"I know!" Caroline whispered, miserable. "He doesn't even know I exist!"

"So say something, damn it." Damon concluded.

"But...I don't...know...like..what should I..."

"How about-hey fucker, got a minute? Listen to me before I break your face-always got people's attention." Damon said, shrugging.

Caroline stared at him.

"Or, you could steal ice cream with him, but remember to bring baseball bats!" Stefan offered, thinking that idea sounded better than Damon's option.

"But Klaus is fond of …. the Petrova twins. He especially likes Tatia," Caroline mumbles, head bowing lowly.

Stefan looked at Caroline dubiously. "Seriously? The nutcases with a serious case of egotistical self-love?"

"He must be fucking suicidal then. Katherine and Tatia, they're Grade A bitches from Hell," Damon said, finishing Stefan's thoughts.

"Klaus likes girls with flare, confidence." Caroline said shaking her head. "Tatia and Katherine have that, along with everything else."

"So then work up some confidence, jeez, you make it sound like the hardest thing ever." Damon said casually.

"It is," Caroline said weakly, and almost too embarrassed to continue. "Words get caught in my throat, stutter, and….once in a while I faint."

"Doesn't it make you angryf?" Stefan asked.

"What?" Caroline asked surprised, raising her head.

Damon looked at her closely, icy blue eyes narrowing, "Don't you get tired? Why the fuck should you get ruled out into the corner?"

Caroline blinked, nodding slightly. "Sometimes...when he takes Tatia too seriously."

"And takes everything everyone else says with a straight face, but never you." Stefan continued.

"Yeah a-and...he never realizes how I feel." Caroline said softly, but slowly building confidence.

"Overlooks it and acts like a high and mighty son of a bitch." Damon carried on.

"Sometimes all he cares about is Tatia," Caroline said louder.

"And 'long-term goals' and 'art' and 'money' and all that bullshit," Stefan persisted, adding to Caroline's fire.

It continued liked this for a while, first Stefan would say something to fuel Caroline's building anger, then Caroline would reply, more sure of herself, and then Damon would continue the cycle.

"Sometimes I get mad…"

"Yeah it fucking pisses me off too."

"And, and Tatia doesn't even….appreciate his attention and she's just stringing him along because she likes Elijah too.."

"Those other bastards who don't give a shit need to learn to respect you, Care."

"When I...just want him to look at me."

"And show some goddamn appreciation!"

"Yes, I'm..I'm tired of this! I get frustrated."

"That's right! Enough's enough. That shit has gone too far."

"Why won't he look at me?"

"I should be valued too, damn it!"

"Why am I so nervous?"

"Why won't anyone listen?"

"I need to be more confident!"

"I wanna make it my own!"

"I will be more confident...I swear it!"

"Those shitheads can go fuck themselves."

"And..and then they'll notice!"

"And feel like idiots for not noticing before."

"I'm worth something!..I deserve better."

"They'll be sorry they ever treated me like shit."

"I-I feel a bit angry...and it feels good!"

"Makes me want to break something!"

"...Stefan."

"Fucking heathens, I should go and string their restrooms with boobytraps, dye their skin blue, set their rooms on fire while they sleep!"

"Damon?"

"Fucking unlucky, sons of bitches-" Damon and Stefan started at the same time.

"Stefan! Damon!"

Stefan and Damon stepped out of their violent spiels when Caroline's high-pitched voice interrupted their speech. They stared at the flushed cheeks, glittering eyes filled with gratitude, girl. She managed a small, nervous wave back.

"Thank-you, you guys."

"For what?" Damon asked blankly.

"For listening. You're.." Caroline blushed. "You guys are much nicer than I thought."

Slowly, cheeky grins replaced their blank looks of surprise, and Caroline couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for the two, the kind of affection that was reserved for rare rare individuals who listened to the unpleasant rants of situations and understood how you felt.

"Hey, we're just nice guys", Stefan said breezily. "It's not our fault nobody else sees it."

Caroline grinned at that.

"I see it. It's what Kol sees in you guys."

Stefan blinked, mouth slightly agape, while Damon stared at her in unconcealed, genuine surprise. She thought it was an adorable look on them.

"Hey, how does it feel?" Stefan asked, overcoming his surprise. "Getting all that crap out of your system? Feel's good doesn't it?"

Caroline nodded, taking a deep breathe. "Yes. I feel more refreshed, more angry."

"Angry isn't good enough. Say- "I'm fucking pissed off." Damon interjected.

"Um..Okay...I'm f-fu…oh, I can't say that."

"It's okay, you'll get there," Stefan said cheerfully, suddenly getting off the bench and grabbing his baseball bat, followed with Damon.

"The nights young, Blondie. Let's go work out some aggression! How do they say it again- progressive therapy or some shit."

Caroline could feel her heart beating against her chest, it was the loudest thing ever. "You don't mean…"

"That's exactly what he means, Barbie," Stefan said, tossing her his bat.

Caroline squealed out, alarmed as the bat almost smacked her in the head, and stared at both brothers as Damon tossed a crowbar over to Stefan.

"But the r-robots? Won't they know?"

Stefan raised an eyebrow, chuckling.

"Does it look like we give two shits about what walking trashcans think?" Damon snorted.

Caroline bit her lip, shaking her head.

"Do you give a shit about what walking trashcans think, Blondie?"

Caroline paused for a moments then spoke up, surprising herself with her answer.

"No actually, they're robots...so they can't really think."

"So let's have some fun then, huh?" Stefan said as he jumped down from the window he just propped open with the crowbar.

"I'm not really..sure about this, Stefan."

"Wait, so you want the crowbar? Here, I'll trade." Stefan said gesturing towards the bat she was awkwardly holding.

"N-no I just.."

"You're mad, Blondie, right?" Damon interjected.

"Right.."

"And you're tired of being ignored, right?" Stefan added.

"I am."

"You're fucking pissed, right? Say it." Damon chimed in again.

"I-I'm f-fu-" Caroline took a deep breath, "I'm fucking pissed."

"Damn right you are. Now let's go break the windows, key the Petrova's car, and trash this place!" Stefan cried happily, it was about time he got to break something.

"...okay...and...b-break things in the principal's office..?"

"You're seriously a girl after our own hearts, Blondie." Damon smirked as Stefan clasped both of his arms around his brother and Caroline.


End file.
